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Project Management at Choice Hotels International
Length:
9:05
Subject:
Project Management at Choice Hotels International
Textbook Reference:
Chapter 7: Project Management, page 280
Summary
The video on project management presents an Information Technology (IT) implementation
project initiated by Choice Hotels International. The project has to do with the implementation of
multi-million-dollar, multi-year project called choiceEDGE to replace its existing central
reservation system (CRS) which was originally developed back in the 1980s. The video walks
through the risks and challenges faced by Choice Hotels International in developing the new IT
system and involves interview comments from Todd Davis, Choice’s Chief Information Officer
(CIO), Brain Kirkland, Vice President of Engineering and Dennis Tower, Director of IT Project
Management. Choice Hotels International’s approach was to use a new project management
approach called as “Agile” that allowed development to occur iteratively around “projects within
projects.”
Essay or Discussion Questions Based on Video
1. Assess the four categories of a risk-management plan for the choice EDGE project. Given
the information in the case, how risky is this project for Choice Hotels?
The four categories of a risk-management plan as it relates to the choiceEDGE project
are:
• Strategic Fit: This has to do with the fact that a project may not link clearly with the
strategic goals of the firm. The central reservation system that Choice Hotels was looking
to develop and implement, would require connecting travel agents, online reservation
websites like Kayak and Expedia, and mobile app users to the company’s daily available
inventory. On the back end, the system must also connect to each property’s front check-
in desk system and the organization’s revenue management system. Since the number of
• Operations: There may be an operations risk because of poor information accuracy, lack
of communication, missing precedence relationships, or bad estimates for activity times.
Such a risk for Choice Hotels was further compounded by the number of stakeholders
2. Go online to research “Agile” information systems development and the role of “scrum
masters” in helping organizations manage successful IT projects. Why are leading
organizations now turning to this approach for developing their systems projects?
In response to the rapid changes in users’ requirements, a new generation of information
systems (IS), namely, agile IS, has emerged. Agile IS, defined as information systems
developed using agile methods, are characterized by frequent upgrades with a small
number of new features released periodically. Agile methods refer to a collection of
principles and techniques that emphasize early and continuous delivery of valuable
software with embracement of constant changes in users’ requirements. Agile methods
1
Hong, W.; Thong, J.Y.L.; Chasalow, L.C.; and Dhillon, G. User acceptance of agile information systems: A model and empirical test. Journal of
Management Information Systems, 28, 1 (Summer 2011), 235–272
2
Gholami, Behnaz, "Agile Information Systems Development Teams: Is Empowerment Taken for Granted?" (2013). International Research
Workshop on IT Project Management 2013. 3. https://aisel.aisnet.org/irwitpm2013/3
3
Schwaber, Ken (February 1, 2004). Agile Project Management with Scrum. Microsoft Press. ISBN 978-0-7356-1993-7.
3. Assume you are Dennis Tower and have responsibility for the overall management of the
choiceEDGE IT project. Describe what you might need to do monitor and control the
project to assure scope, budget, and schedule are managed.
Even through the overall approach is to use an Agile development approach in managing
the project, it is important to monitor and control the various activities in the “projects
within projects.” The common used project management tools can be deployed for the
